Mary Novak-Jandrey donated $10 million, the largest gift in the history of the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh to support College of Nursing, Health Professions, and STEM.
UOW will rename it in her honor as the Mary Novak-Jandrey College of Nursing, Health Professions, and STEM.
Mary Novak-Jandrey, a 1974 UW–Oshkosh nursing graduate and first-generation college student, built a career in healthcare leadership, consulting, and workforce strategy, with experience spanning healthcare, engineering, manufacturing, and organizational design.
“As a first‑generation student, I know how education can change a life. My career has shown me that real progress comes from lifelong learning and bringing health, science, and technology together around people. Building a college around health, science and technology is an innovative step for the future of education in Wisconsin. I’m honored to support a college that is forward-thinking and invests in collaboration, faculty, and—most importantly—students and their success,” said Mary Novak-Jandrey.
The college was intentionally structured to bring together nursing, health professions, and STEM into a more integrated academic environment—one that reflects how today’s workforce operates and how students learn best through collaboration and applied experience.
“This is a defining moment for UW–Oshkosh,” said Chancellor Manohar Singh. “Mary Novak-Jandrey’s extraordinary generosity strengthens our ability to prepare graduates who are ready to lead in complex, interconnected fields, while advancing interdisciplinary learning that augments opportunity for our students to make significant positive impact on communities we serve.”
The gift establishes two permanent endowments that will support student success, faculty and staff development, curriculum innovation, and teaching infrastructure, as well as interdisciplinary teaching and learning through shared simulation and collaborative education.
The endowments will be held and managed through the UW–Oshkosh Foundation.
Seon Yoon Chung, dean of the College of Nursing, Health Professions, and STEM, said, “I am deeply grateful for the trust Mary Novak-Jandrey has placed in UW–Oshkosh and in the mission of this College. Her transformational support affirms our commitment to advancing student success, investing in faculty and staff, and strengthening interdisciplinary education across nursing, health professions, and STEM. This gift allows us to continue building innovative programs that prepare our graduates to lead, collaborate, and serve their communities.”
The renaming is honorific and does not change the academic structure or governance of the college. The University anticipates an effective date of July 1.
